By Amin Kef Sesay
With due respect to the Minister of Transport and his desk bound pot-bellied bureaucrats and technocrats in his Ministry, the long suffering of tens of thousands of low paid and unemployed commuters in the sprawling Western Area that now stretches from Waterloo in the East to Adonkia in the West have called on him to forgo his $70,000 air-con official vehicle and join the people at, for example, Waterloo to seek transport to and from work in the morning and evening for just one day – preferably Monday or Friday – to feel the extreme discomfort and unnecessary expenses the people undergo every day accessing transport.
The Minister, about a year ago, assured the people that the Government is in the process of securing 200 buses to help address the acute urban transportation problem in the country. Many people ask comically if the ship bringing the buses to Water Quay has lost its way on the high seas.
The reason why the people view the Minister of Transport and his bureaucrats disdainfully is that particularly with fuel prices sure to continue going up as global demand surges after COVID-19 is because transport fares would be minimized if the country has an effective, efficient, affordable public transportation system.
Take for example somebody who lives in Waterloo and has to come to work five days a week in the West End of the city. He/she pays Le2, 000 from Waterloo to Jui.
From Jui to Lumley he or she pays Le5, 500. How much is that, one way to work? Add the same amount for return fare. How much in total does that person pay for transport for a day and for five working days? Now let us imagine that that person is on the minimum monthly wage of Le600, 000…
Thus, what the people say they want to sink into the ears of the Minister of Transport and his and his pot-bellied desk-bound bureaucrats and technocrats is that if the Government is truly serious about reducing poverty, one of the major starting points is how to control transport fares which affect all other prices in the country.
The Government can only do so effectively when it has its own fleet of buses and road haulage vehicles to transport passengers and goods into and from the provinces.
Transport carries an important social and environmental load, which cannot be neglected. When transport systems are efficient, they provide economic and social opportunities and benefits that result in positive multiplier effects such as better accessibility to markets, employment and additional investments.
Thus, in designing and implementing a pro-poor friendly public transportation policy, what should be in front of the minds of the servants at the Ministry of Transport is that public transportation provides people with mobility and access to employment, community resources, medical care and recreational opportunities, on the understanding that over 90 percent of the people do not own a car and must rely on public transportation. Public transportation provides a basic mobility service to these persons and to all others without access to a car.
Areas with good public transit systems are economically thriving communities and offer location advantages to businesses and individuals choosing to work or live in them. The incorporation of public transportation options and considerations into broader economic and land use planning can help the new communities to expand business opportunities, reduce sprawling and create a sense of community through transit-oriented development.
By creating a locus for public activities, such development contributes to a sense of community and can enhance neighborhood safety and security.
Also, in times of emergency, public transportation is critical to safe and efficient evacuation for treatment.
With the world concerned about the harmful effects of pollution, public transportation also helps to reduce road congestion and travel times, air pollution and energy and oil consumption, all of which benefit both drivers and commuters alike.
